Book Blog #4

Book # 7

Out of my mind

By Sharon M. Draper

Reflection

This book was another one of Sharon M. Draper great books. It turned out nothing like I thought it would. The book puts the reader in the shoes of the narrator, who happens to be suffering from a severe case of cerebral palsy. It puts the reader into a different perceptive of a person who is different in a way but also, not so different from me and you. This book is very informative for those who are "ignorant" about people who have disabilities. They eat, breathe, and think just like we do, whether it's differently or not. I would recommend this book to others, even though I would admit that it is an easy-read book. I wouldn't recommend this book to those who like complex-vocabulary-filled books because the Accelerated Reading Level is fairly low. However, no matter who decides to read it, I'm pretty sure they will enjoy this book.

What was unique about the setting and how did it enhance or take away from the story?

Well, the narration was very different for me because I had no idea the character had cerebral palsy...at first. As I continued to read on, Melody, the narrator, was saying how difficult her life was with the disability and how she was dealing with it at just the age of eleven! Her situation really added anticipation from me, the reader, because I always wanted to know what was going to happen next. It really enhanced the story because not only was her situation difficult to deal with but she found ways to deal with it that amazed me. Also, Sharon M. Draper added drama to the story that made it even more interesting to read. I really like books of drama and conflict genres. In the story, she showed a character with a disability who was teased by classmates but at the end well loved by many because of her strive to try to be normal and not giving up. That is what I liked most about the book: no matter what you have or how different you may be, there is no excuse to not try (with the exception of being in a terrible situation and in a vegetation state).

In what ways does the events in the book reveal evidence of the author's world view?

As I read the book, I noticed a few points that the author made in the book. Well, the first, obviously, she believes that even people with disabilities are just the same as anyone else. They are just a bit different, as we all are from one another. She really emphasizes that everyone is different in their own little way, whether it's their appearance, their personality or a disability that separates them from others. Also, she displays that making fun of someone who is not of the norm is not acceptable. It is very disrespectful and immoral, no matter what you believe in. The

book had a very good message because not only was it a good book, but it also taught me something about how people with disabilities live and what they think about. It also shows that they have feelings, too and they can have just as much in common as your best friend.

Word Count: 509

Book #8

Oliver Twist

By Charles Dickens

Reflection

The book, Oliver Twist, was definitely different from anything I

have ever read before. The book was fairly odd to me. It was kind of dark and mysterious but I enjoyed that part of it. It had my anticipation during the whole book. I mean, it's not a book that I would want to read again because it was just "that good" but I'll give it about a B+. The reason is because the story kind of dragged along with a dark and bland setting in the very beginning. I feel that the beginning is the most important part because that is what catches the reader's attention. However, I would recommend this book to anyone because there are different versions of it and it really is a good book. There are a lot of surprising "Twists" in this book and a shocking ending.

What is unique about the setting of the book and how did it enhance or take away from the story?

At first, I didn't really know where the author was going with the story until after the first 50 pages. When I started to get into it, I was thinking that author put a lot of thought into this book like he was actually there. He gave specific details about what the characters wore, how they looked, and what they were doing at that time in the story. The story took place in London so I imagined all the characters speaking an English accent, which was exciting. The story was about a boy named Oliver Twist who is forced to be moved around from shelter to shelter because he was an orphan due to his mother's death giving birth to him. He is treated horribly and runs away, finding himself the troubles of London streets. He met a man; a very bad man who wanted to get him involved in crime so that they came make some money. However, the ending brings a shock to the reader. Read it to find out yourself!!

How do characters change or evolve throughout the course of the story? What events trigger such changes?

In the beginning, Oliver was a timid shy little boy who just lived with other orphans and enjoyed their company. As the story on and he was captured by a criminal, he became more defensive and aware that he needed to take care of himself while in the streets because they were not a safe place to be. He also developed trust issues during the story because he was traumatized by the capture. He knew, then, who to trust and who not to trust.

Word Count: 448